Fire Melts Ice
by Starkreactor
Summary: "I have cared for him since his infancy. I have looked after him, taught him, given him a home. I love him like my son, there is no distinction in my mind between he and Thor. Is that not enough? Does love not overcome blood?" Loki Family/Whump Complete!
1. Muspelheim

So, I saw the Avengers recently and realized that I am in love with Loki too. Gah, what has that man done to the female population! He didn't hook me that much in Thor, but I love him now. So I had to beat him up, naturally.

For those of you who know my work, I do plan to finish Pawns in His Hands, hopefully soon. So thanks for sticking with it!

There is an illustration I did for the first part of this story that is at my Deviantart Account under Firebound, if you are interested. It's called _Brothers_.

This story simply started out as an excuse to explore Loki whump and brotherly love, but it kinda ran away from me. Sorry about that...

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Muspelheim was unlike any realm that Thor or Loki had yet encountered. Which made Thor that much more excited and bone headed, and Loki that much more nervous. Exploring was one thing. Exploring with his brother however...well. That was a completely different game.

If Loki decided he wanted to go trekking around in one of the other realms, he would go quietly, move through it like a shadow, and skillfully evade almost any threat that crossed his path.

Thor, for lack of a better comparison, was an avalanche. No matter how Loki tried to show him this, it would, without fail, be mere minutes in a new (or frankly, for that matter, old) territory before Thor attracted either drink and women or something to fight. Usually it was the latter, though, to be fair, Loki cringed at either one. And both ended in mass amounts of destruction. It wasn't so much that Thor was intimate with the women- he was more reserved in that area, but he did feel the need to show off and have them fawn over him. Afterward he would leave them swooning to deal with the giant he'd annoyed half hour prior.

And Loki would sigh dramatically and join in, if for no other reason than to do damage control.

This is the exact situation Loki found himself in mere seconds after Thor and he had fully come out of the bifrost. A very large, very angry looking fire salamander three times the size of Slepnir was standing directly in their path, and the wormhole activity had sent it into fight or flight mode. It seemed, much to Loki's chagrin, to be very like Thor in that it chose the 'fight' option out of the two.

Loki could feel the excitement radiating off of his brother. "Thor, we should- oh, why do I bother..." He finished, muttering to himself even as Thor crouched and attacked. Loki gathered himself, adrenaline suddenly surging as the creature's lava-hot tail came flying towards him, allowing him to jump over it and skirt around to its other side. Immediately, Loki began calling up all his energy towards a cold spell he'd been perfecting, knowing that if he could freeze any part of the creature it would put out much of its fire and subdue it considerably. The flaw in this plan, was that the spell took a great amount of focus and time to conjure, and half of his attention was constantly on the creature, skirting around the edge of it as it snapped at him with its jaws, going for him because Thor was annoyingly out of its reach as he straddled its back.

"Thor, just finish it!" Loki cried desperately as he dodged another tail swing, frantically trying to complete the spell.

"I cannot, I shall hold him and defeat him with my hands!"

"What do you mean you cannot? You are near enough to its head," Loki protested, running up its side and flipping off, splitting himself into several apparitions. "just finish it!" all five of him said as he scattered.

"I lack my weapon, the fight would be over too soon otherwise!" Thor laughed from the creature's back, clinging to it with his arms part way around its neck.

Loki's stomach dropped as he looked up, the creature momentarily confused by the sudden appearance of multiple opponents. Thor had, indeed, left Mjolnir sitting near the bifrost site, too stubborn to simply use it to drive the creature away.

"Are you mad!" Loki exclaimed as he continued to move, his body streaming sweat. Muspelheim was much, much hotter than anything he was used to. "If it throws you off you could land in a stream of liquid fire!"

Thor's only response was to laugh uproariously and ignore his younger brother's warnings completely. Loki found himself gasping for breath as he continued to evade the creature's lashing tail, claws, and head. He was starting to panic. Thor was having too much fun to end it quickly, and his spell was taking much longer than it normally would. One by one his copies flickered and disappeared, his waning strength giving out on them. Moments later, he was down to one, and the salamander seemed to have figured out which one of him it wanted. With bone crushing force, the creature flung its tail into his chest, flying him backwards so far that he felt the back of his neck sear with heat, his hair nearly catching fire from the close proximity to the stream of lava near where he landed. Adrenaline surging again, Loki leapt to his feet and gathered all that was in him to push towards the creature, a frosty chill enveloping its features. Thor sensed Loki's magic on its way and leapt free just in time, rolling away as the salamander hissed and spewed smoke and water vapor as it froze from the inside out.

Loki slumped, his chest heaving as he gathered his breath back and got shakily to his feet. Thor, not even winded, approached him angrily.

"I had him, why did you have to cut it so short? I was in no danger, and you were holding well." Thor demanded.

Loki glared at his brother, hand pressed to his chest where it still throbbed from the creature's tail. "If you hadn't been so bone headed, we would never have had to fight it in the first place!"

"It's not my fault that it was right by the bifrost, do you think I summoned it on purpose? You're the only one who can do that, brother. Blame yourself." Thor answered back, towering over Loki. "That's all you can do, is conjure and run. Why did you even come if you didn't want to fight? You are panting like a child, are you so weak that you cannot take one fight any longer?" Thor sneered, his annoyance with Loki for ending the fight so soon turning biting.

As Loki's anger flared however, he realized that Thor was right. He was still gasping for breath, and instead of recovering from the fight, he seemed to be weakening. His vision was dimming and suddenly he felt like he was so hot he could hardly remain conscious.

"What, nothing to say? You've always had the constitution of a maiden, Loki. I shouldn't have brought you." Thor snapped, turning away from his brother and heading out further into the landscape.

Loki was so weak he didn't even register what Thor had said to him. In a daze, he tried to follow Thor, or even go in some semblance of a direction, but his legs gave out and he hit the ground with a thump, his breath coming out in clogged breaths. Strangely, he noticed that his breath was fogging in the air...

Thor turned around when he heard the soft thump behind him, and his anger evaporated in an instant. Sprinting back to his brother, Thor fell to his knees and began examining Loki's body, searching for an injury. "Loki! Brother, what happened, are you injured?" He asked urgently, even as his brother's eyes fluttered weakly and he shuddered. His whole body seemed to be in turmoil, and his breath came out in foggy clouds that clung like frost to Thor's beard before sizzling away in the hot atmosphere. Loki's skin felt dry and hot. His sweat had evaporated and he'd stopped producing more. Thor could feel panic rising inside him. There was no blood, so he had no idea what was wrong or what he could do about it. The back of his neck prickled with fear as he scooped his brother into his arms, praying that he could keep Loki away from the Valkyrie. Loki's breath was dangerously shallow, and his body convulsed weakly in Thor's arms, the Asgardian's pulse fluttering too fast at the base of his flushed throat.

Heimdal sensed Thor and Loki's approach long before they appeared through the bifrost. The moment that he had seen Loki weakening, Heimdal sent word to Odin and then waited to open the bifrost, anxious to get the two princes back home. Though Thor could tell that Loki was gravely ill, Heimdal could see much clearer just how sick the young prince had become. The clatter of Sleipnir's hooves raced to the bifrost chamber just moments after Thor came through, carrying his unconscious brother, and looking more frightened than he had since he'd been a child.

"Father, I don't know what happened, he just fell- he's not wounded, I didn't mean-" Thor said haltingly, his chest tight and restricting speech.

"It's all right Thor, he's going to be alright." Odin said, dismounting from Sleipnir and coaxing the younger prince away from his older brother. "You must let me have him Thor." Odin said gently, worried at how still Loki looked and how shell shocked Thor was behaving. "We will get him to the healers, go ahead of us and tell them what has transpired."

Thor nodded numbly in response, just barely able to let Loki go. Odin stood solemnly and re-mounted Sleipnir, taking off with his unconscious son in his arms. Thor shot up into the air and flew back towards the healing room.

Thanks to Heimdal and Thor, the healers already knew the situation and were preparing to care for Loki, no matter his illness. Even with the preparations however, no one was prepared to see what presented them as Odin came through the infirmary doors. Loki always looked frail compared to many on Asgard, but held limp in Odin's arms as he was, flushed with an unnatural amount of color, he looked as if a touch too harsh would shatter him. His body had the appearance as though he'd been badly burned, strange patches of flushed skin mottled in with glistening patches of what looked like red ice that kept trying to form and then melted, causing bloody water to ooze down Loki's skin and onto the floor. Odin didn't have to speak a word. The healers cleared a path and immediately surrounded Loki, working to remove his armor once he was on the bed. Soon, they had him stripped down completely, save for the cloth that served to preserve his modesty.

Odin stood by, Thor with him, allowing the healers to do what they could. His presence, however, stood as a silent statement; if Odin put aside his other duties to stay near his son, it was no mistake that Loki was near death. The healers could sense Odin's presence as they moved, his determination challenging the Valkyries to try and take Loki away from him. There was no doubt that Odin wouldn't let that happen as long as he could help it.

"Is there not anything I can do for Loki?" Thor asked, breaking the silence with his panic.

"The healers have him under their hands. There is no more for you but to wait." Odin said calmly, though his stance showed clearly how he felt to any who knew him.

"But what happened to affect him so?" Thor asked, distraught. "We were merely exploring Muspelheim when we fought with a great salamander. It hit him in the chest, but he seemed uninjured-"

Odin nodded quietly, waiting for the verdict from the healers. "It was not your fault Thor. Though you should not be so foolish as to leave your hammer behind for the sake of sport when you are in a new place. There are many things about Muspelheim that you do not know. You would be wise to leave your wrestling and sparring for the training arena."

Odin's words were soft, but the reprimand still stung. Thor could think of no reason for Loki to be as sick as he was _unless _ it was his fault. "I should have noticed." Thor protested. "I was too busy ridiculing him to realize that there was a reason for his weakness. I should have helped him!"

"You've done what you can. Go speak with your mother, and be gentle with her. She doesn't yet know what has transpired."

Thor nodded quietly, unable to speak. Silently, he worked his way over to his comatose brother. Loki looked so much worse. And it had only been moments since the incident had happened. Or at least, that was how it felt. Knowing he neede dto leave, Thor took one last glance at Loki, slipping the other man's hand into his own. "Forgive me brother. Please, fight. Fight for all you have." His scarlet cloak swished quietly as he left.

After a half hour of work, the chief healer stepped aside, approaching Odin with a look of severe worry on his face. "Prince Loki is suffering from far too much heat in his core. The problem is, I do not know how to treat it. Normally for heat sickness, I would cool his body with water and ice and liquids, but his body seems to be sweating blood and freezing it. This is nothing like anything I have ever encountered before. My only course of thought is to guess that something else happened that Prince Thor did not realize. This can only be the result of some kind of sorcery or poison or sickness- no Asgardian has ever reacted thusly. I fear that if I try to cool him down in the usual ways, the stress will cause his heart to still."

Odin nodded. "Watch over him. Do all in your power to cool him down and ensure he does not lose any more blood. I will return shortly."

The head healer nodded solemnly, bowing to Odin's command. His face told Odin all- he had no idea how to heal Loki.

But the All-father did.

"Are you certain it is best to go back there? You know how Laufey will behave if you seek audience."

"I know Frigga, but what else am I to do? I cannot tell the healers that Loki is part Frost Giant, and without help from the Frost Giant healers, he will die. The only course is to take him to Jotunheim and beg audience with Laufey. Somewhere in his heart he may chose to help us. Loki is, by birth, his son."

Frigga gripped her husband's arm "A son he left to die in the cold." She cupped Odin's face, looking at him with grief and concern. "We are the only family Loki has ever had. We are the only ones who cares if the Valkyrie claim him. Laufey was glad to be rid of him."

Odin looked back on his wife for a long time before he spoke. For the first time since the death of his father, his voice cracked as he spoke. "I have no other choice."

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Review if you so desire!


	2. Laufey

Here is chapter two! Thank you all SO much for the reviews! I'm sorry I didn't reply individually, but I hope this chapter makes up for it. Enjoy!

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Heimdal looked at Odin with concern as he saw the king approach, but he held his tongue. He wanted to warn Odin, wanted to press him, wanted to offer a different option, but both Asgardians knew what kind of situation the king was in. Torrents of silent communication passed between Heimdal and Odin in the few moments that took Odin from the opening at the end of the bifrost to the archway that would soon lead to Jotenheim. Odin stood for just a moment, his eye locked with Heimdal's, before giving a silent nod.

Heimdal pushed his sword down into the slot made for it and it made a sound like a key fitting snugly in a lock as it opened the portal to the frosty wilderness. Odin wasted no time.

"The bifrost brings Asgardians to our lands, Odin seeks audience."

Laufey sat back in his throne, red eyes drifting as he thought. Odin knew that their pact was very delicate, and the two races had agreed to remain apart. If the king of Asgard was approaching himself, Laufey's suspicions of where his son had gone after the war were being confirmed.

"Let him approach."

Odin was ushered into the icy structure that served as Laufey's palace, the arching spires and delicate, needle thin points of icicles glittering dully under a perpetually cloudy sky. He stood at the base of the Ice Giant's throne, bowing his head in a sign of good faith before lifting his eye to gaze upon the other ruler. "I seek audience for a very different matter than anything that has concerned us before." Odin began, but Laufey held up his hand, stopping the Asgardian in his speech.

"You took something you did not understand, and grew to love it. Now it sickens, and you do not know how to save it." Laufey said, his voice deep and cold.

Odin kept his regal demeanor, but inside he was aching. He was a father, who had come under the guise of a king. "He was your son, Laufey. We cared for him, and now he is sick in a way we do not know how to cure. Please, if one of your healers will give us what we need to save Loki's life, we will never set foot here again. We will leave you in peace and I will forgo any tribute you were to pay us."

Laufey gazed down at Odin with a penetrating stare, his posture not changing from its relaxed slump in the throne. Odin forced himself to remain quiet. At length, Laufey straightened and spoke again. "Why should I help you?"

"He is your _son_ Laufey-"

"He was a mistake." The giant interuppted. "His mother was never meant for the burden she carried, and you picked him up after my men had done what was decreed. There is no bond to him in my heart, and yet you have secured him fatally to yours. That was your folly, All-father. Why should I not let the creature die, when it will cost _me_ nothing and _you,_ everything."

The healers could do little for Loki's heat wracked body, and so they let Frigga take her son and care for him herself. She lay him in his father's bed, bathing his face and chest with cold water, trying to soothe his now raw skin. He was so pale she could see the bluish tint of slowly draining veins under his skin. Thor stood nearby, his pacing worn down and his anger spent. He could do nothing, so he sat by Loki's bedside, holding his brother's hand and begging him silently to be okay.

Mother and son both looked up from their vigil when Odin approached, their faces filled with hope. Though Thor didn't know where his father had gone, he did know that he had left seeking help and he wished desperately for good news.

The look on Odin's face was all they needed to see. Frigga shook her head, tears starting in her eyes, and Thor froze and then stormed out, unable to contain his grief.

Odin approached his wife and sat near her, putting his arms around her waist in the small pause she took before continuing her ministrations to their son. After a moment's silence, she spoke, her focus solely on Loki as she bathed his face with water. "We will simply have to find someone else who can help us." She said quietly, refusing to let tears fall. "Loki is only half Frost Giant, someone must know how to help him."

Odin shook his head. "Who else even knows he exists as what he is? Loki is the only one of his kind to survive. All others that were born to Laufey were pure or cast aside. Not even his mother would know how to help him."

Frigga stiffened, pausing at the word 'mother' before continuing. "She is not his mother. A mother would not have left her son to die out in the wilderness."

Odin pressed his forehead into the back of her shoulder. "I know, I am sorry Frigga. You are his mother, you have cared for him his entire life, and he knows that."

"And yet, I cannot save him." She whispered, still avoiding Odin's gaze, her eyes locked on her younger son.

"He has not passed to Valhalla yet." Odin said softly, kissing Frigga's hair. "Perhaps he can yet fight it. He surprises everyone with his trickery, perhaps he will wake up and fool us all."

Frigga smiled some at the jest, but then grew sober again. Suddenly, she stiffened. "His trickery might be just what will save him." She said suddenly, turning to face Odin. "Laufey, while powerful, could not have endowed Loki with the magic he possesses. Our training only taught him so much of his craft. The woman who bore him must hold the root of his abilities, if you can find Fárbauti, Loki may yet live."

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I took some liberties with Norse mythology mixed with the movie verse for this chapter. I think it still fits. Reviews are great if you have time! Chapter three up soon!


	3. Alfheim

Hi guys! I love you all! Thank you SO much for all of the reviews, I'm so glad you've enjoyed this! Here is the third and final chapter. Look for more Loki from me soon!\

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Odin wasted no time. Heimdal searched the world tree at Odin's command for Loki's birth mother, his extensive sight soon sensing her deep in the forests of Alfheim. Odin, knowing that Loki could not survive much longer, took Sleipnir through the worm hole, carrying him and his son through to the dense and magical forests that lay beyond. Though Loki was not Odin's son by birth, Odin had never the less formed a physical bond with the young hybrid, and the older Asgardian could feel just how close Loki was to slipping away.

Sleipnir's hooves pounded the dense earth as Odin raced towards the nearest village. While Heimdal could tell Odin where Fárbauti was in general, the seer was unable to pinpoint her exact location and the king had a much bigger area to sift through without Heimdal to guide him. Sleipnir kicked up dust and mosses as he raced through he forest, Loki's head lolling weakly against Odin's shoulder as he held the young god tightly in front of him. It was no more than twenty minutes later that Odin arrived at the village, but already Loki was so weak that Odin had to press his hand to Loki's chest just to feel his heart beat. Causing Sleipnir to lay down, Odin left Loki in the horse's care, racing into the nearby tavern in hopes of gaining knowledge to Fárbauti's whereabouts. Multiple heads raised and murmuring immediately began when Odin arrived, but he ignored them all. While Asgardians did not hold dealings with Alfheim on a regular basis, and considered them more or less equals, Odin was still known by many.

"I seek the lady Fárbauti upon an urgent matter." Odin's voice boomed through the tavern, causing silence. "I require her help. Can any tell me where to seek her?"

For a few heart-stopping moments there was nothing but silence. Presently though, a young girl, no more than six, came peeking out from behind a carved table. Her appearance was wild and mussed, her dark, black hair snagged with leaves and twigs. Her dress was torn, but covered her well. She wore a leather satchel across her chest, and her small fingers worked themselves together. She walked straight towards Odin, staring up at his huge figure. Odin knelt so he was closer to her level. The little girl's wide eyes blinked long lashes, their color a bright, glittering green that Odin knew too well. "Do you know where Fárbauti can be found, child?" He asked softly, his suspicions confirmed as she nodded.

"Yes, I can bring you to mommy."

Odin followed the child outside and watched as she caught sight of Loki's form and the giant, eight legged horse that kept watch over him. She stared for a few moments, then walked up to the pair, gently touching Loki's face with her small hand. Sleipnir let her be there, sensing that she was an innocent and would not harm her half brother.

"Is he ill, sir?" She asked, looking up at Odin.

"Yes child. He is very sick. That is why I need to speak with your mother. She may be the only one who can save him."

The girl nodded, her tiny hand catching in Loki's raven hair. "I don't want him to go." She said quietly. A moment later, she gave Loki a kiss on the cheek and turned, darting away into the forest. Odin, realizing that the forest was too dense for Sleipnir in this area, lifted Loki into his arms and followed the child as she darted skillfully through the trees.

It took time, time Odin wasn't certain Loki had, but soon the young girl led them into a small clearing where nothing but the remains of a giant tree stood. It had been split and blackened by lightning at some point it its past, but the base was hollow and greenery grew all over and around it now. A door protected from unwanted company, but the girl darted forward and opened it, slipping inside. Odin followed her, stopping in the doorway to look in on a room full with herbs and crystals and other materials of magic. A woman, far younger in appearance than years, turned her attention from her daughter to see the man standing in her doorway, a limp figure held in his arms.

"Aevi, who did you bring?" Fárbauti asked, gazing upon Odin with a look of caution. Her right hand gripped a dagger at her belt, and it glowed a pale green. Her eyes were just the same as her daughter's and Loki's.

"I am Odin All-father, king of Asgard and guardian of the nine realms. I come to you for your help. You do not know this, but your first born, your son, survived the war between my people and the Frost Giants." Odin explained, stepping further into the room, his demeanor now nothing but of a father desperate for help. "This, is your son, Fárbauti. And he is near death." he lay Loki down on a nearby table, supporting the young sorcerer's head so that he would not be jarred. "I found him long ago after the battle was won, and took him in as my own son. My healers can do nothing for him and Laufey cares not if he lives or dies. Please-."

Fárbauti remained silent, but pushed Aevi behind her skirts, her black hair falling down past her waist and swishing slightly as she walked near to the table. She gazed down at Loki's still face, his body no longer producing the patches of ice. He was simply pale, and still. Fárbauti's throat went tight as she stared down at the son she thought she'd lost forever, and her long, delicate fingers brushed a strand of hair away from Loki's eyes.

"I thought he had been killed in the battle." She said, her voice clogged with emotion.

"He lived." Odin said, pressing her as gently as he could. "But he will not for much longer if you will not help him."

Fárbauti shook her head, unable to tear her gaze from Loki's face. "I cannot." She said, her voice cracking. "He is too weak, already I feel the wings that are to usher him to Valhalla." She lay a hand on Loki's heart. "His heart flutters too softly even to be felt."

Odin felt the crushing weight of her news as a physical blow. After all he'd done, it broke him to realize that he was too late.

"The only thing that could save him now is the life of another." She said, tears running silently down her cheeks. "I cannot give myself to him- I have his sister to care for."

"Take me." Odin said suddenly, his voice desperate. He knew what he would be leaving, but he swore to protect his family, and Loki was his son. He had ruled for too long, it was time that Thor learn his place as king. Odin was just sorry he wouldn't be there to help guide the young prince in his new robes.

Fárbauti cut his thoughts short. "It will not work. It must be the life that flows in his blood- the life of a parent."

Odin looked at her, tears standing in his one good eye. "Will you try? I have cared for him since his infancy. I have looked after him, taught him, given him a home. I love him like my son, there is no distinction in my mind between he and Thor. Is that not enough? Does love not overcome blood?"

The sorceress gazed upon Odin for a moment. Then, closing her eyes, she began to murmur. Moving between Loki and Odin, she placed a hand on Loki's heart, and the other over Odin's. Light sparked at her core and then split and traveled through her arms, one light going into Loki, the other resting in Odin's chest. She removed her hands and lifted a crystal to her lips, continuing to chant as the crystal grew bright, pulsating weakly along with Loki's fading life force. With a command and a flick of her fingers, a light shot from Odin and fused with the crystal, strengthening Loki's spirit. Odin fought to stay upright, but soon fell forward, panting for breath. Just when he felt he could take it no longer, the spell lifted, and Odin was left shaking and weak.

At first he was too dazed to think, but then he sprang to his feet, leaning against the wall for support. "No! Why did you stop?" he demanded.

Fárbauti was threading the crystal in her hand to a strong chain of silver, and before answering she clasped it around Loki's neck, slipping the crystal under his light shirt so it rested against his skin. Almost immediately Loki took a visible breath. He still appeared severely weak, but Odin could feel the young Asgardian gaining back his strength. Finally, Fárbauti turned towards him. "I thank you for caring for my son as your own for all these years. You have been the father he needed, and will need. He will recover, but I could not take you away from him. He needs you to continue to raise and strengthen him. Thank you, Odin All-father, I owe you much more than I could ever repay."

Odin and Loki remained with Fárbauti for a short time, Odin knowing that Heimdal would have told Frigga where he had been and what had transpired, and that Frigga would have told Thor as much as she could. Fárbauti cooked for them as they waited for both to gain back strength enough to depart.

Nearby, Aevi had climbed onto the table and lay near Loki's shoulder, her body draped across his chest. She had her head turned so that her small ear was pressed to Loki's heart. Her fingers played with the fabric of his tunic, and she had a bundle of flowers that she had crowned him with, the white blossoms weaving in and out of his dark hair like living snowflakes.

Odin watched as Loki's breathing became stronger and knew that Fárbauti's son, _his _son, was going to be alright.

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*psst* Parting Reviews are always a good way to say goodbye!


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